16
He said,וַיֹּאמֶר“When you helpבְּיַלֶּדְכֶןthe Hebrew womenאֶת הָעִבְרִיּוֹתgive birth and see themוּרְאִיתֶןonעַלthe birthstool,הָאָבְנָיִםifאִםitהוּאis a son,בֵּןkillוַהֲמִתֶּןhim;אֹתוֹbut ifוְאִםitהִיאis a daughter,בַּתshe shall live.”וָחָיָה
Exodus 1:16
Study it in the app“He said, “When you help the Hebrew women give birth and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.””
With the Hebrew beneath
Exodus 1:16, word by word
- He saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- “When you helpיַלֶּדְyaled
midwife
To help give birth: the midwife.
Where else “yaled” appears- the Hebrew womenעִבְרִיּוֹתivriyot
Hebrew
Hebrew: a descendant of Eber; the name that other peoples gave to Abram and to the Israelites.
Where else “ivriyot” appears- give birth and see themרְאִיתֶןreiten
see
To see with one's eyes.
Where else “reiten” appears- the birthstoolאָבְנָיִםavnayim
birthstool
The stones a woman sat on while delivering a child.
Where else “avnayim” appears- is a sonבֵּןben
son
The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.
Where else “ben” appears- killהֲמִתֶּןhamiten
kill
To kill someone.
Where else “hamiten” appears- is a daughterבַּתbat
daughter
A girl or woman born of her parents, who belongs to her father's house.
Where else “bat” appears- she shall liveחָיָהchaya
live
Live.
Where else “chaya” appears
Translation note
The “birthstool” translates “the two stones” on which the woman gave birth.
The context
15The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah and the name of the second Puah:
16 · This verse (above)
17But the midwives feared Elohim and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them, but let the boys live.